D.I.T Vehicle

[Andrew clemson]

Ok, so bare with me here, Ive done a pretty thorough search but couldnt come up with any answers.

I do seem to remember a thread a while back but couldnt find it.

I'm Looking to put together a proper D.I.T Vehicle from scratch to replace what im currently working with which is just a standard 4X4 .

Any tips on how you have gone about it with your own would be much appreciated. Particularly in terms of power supplies.

thanks in advance

 

[Tony Lorentzen]

I'm about 3 feature-films into building my DIT van (based on a VW Transporter). For every job I finish I keep changing stuff - and it'll probably continue that way ;-) The best thing I've spent money on it the power system. It's based on the Studer combi inverter/charger and a Septor box that allows me to get power from both batteries (I currently have two 110 Ah marine batteries installed), outside power (like a generator) and from the car's generator (if I can't get external power and the batteries are down). The Studer is nice because it provides a true sine curve for all my electronics, and if the external power source fails (or falls below a certain point) it automatically switches over to the batteries without any power failures. A nice feature is that having external power also charges the primary battery in the car once the marine batteries are full. I have a battery monitor installed so I can always see how much power I have left, but I've had the Mac Pro running for 2-3 hours without problems.

I just came back from a feature a few weeks ago so the interior is totally taken apart, but I'd love to post some pictures when I get it put back together and have the changes done to it ;-)

 

[Tony Lorentzen]

Btw. Another thing that is nice with the Studer is that it can take solar panel input for additional power. Something I'm guessing would be super nice in your part of the world ;-)

 

[Michael Dorn]

DIT Van

DIT Van

Here are some pics of my van I'm doing every job with.
It's a Chevy G20 Conversion Van, the middle seats are removed and replaced by a custom made table. Equipment is 2010 8-core Mac Pro with Nvidia FX 4800, Red Rocket and ATTO H 680. RED Station Case, CF, 1.8" and 2.5". 2 G Speed eS 8 TB Raids, 4x 1 TB G-Tech Q, Cache A LTO 4 Deck, Tangent Wave, 12500 BTU Aircon, 5000W UPS.

Hope that helps.

 

[Gediminas Vansevicius]

Pics from my van based on Volkswagen LT. I've put DIT cart (8-core macpro, redrocket, TB raid, areca card, sonnet esata card, UPS, tangent wave) in the back, it's mobile. 2 seets in front of it for DOP/director, panasonic plasma, aircon.
Updating it all the time, served me well on 2 features.

 

[Andrew clemson]

Thanks for the responses so far. Im looking at a 2nd hand chevy van at the mo as theyre super cheap here. Basically would like to be able to roll a bigfoot cart in and have power for it.

Tony, Id love to see some pictures of your setup once you have it back together, any chance you could post a link to the specific studer invertor youre using? theres a whole bunch available I notice.

 

[Dustin Cross]

I got a 16 passenger people mover (small shuttle bus) with a wheel chair lift that I am remodeling for my DIT vehicle. Lots of them for not much money. plenty of room inside and you can stand. Lift is great for getting carts in and out.


Dusty

 

[Tony Lorentzen]

Tony, Id love to see some pictures of your setup once you have it back together, any chance you could post a link to the specific studer invertor youre using? theres a whole bunch available I notice.

The one I'm using is this one: http://www.studer-inno.com/?cat=sine_wave_inverter-chargers&id=433&pId=652&tab=2#ul

This one is the battery monitor: http://www.studer-inno.com/?cat=battery_monitoring

Mine is the XPC-1400 and delivers plenty of power even for a Mac Pro, RAIDs and a few monitors. The VW Transporter I have is a small one as locations are always small here and I need to be able to get around easily in it. If I had the money, I'd buy the Rockton in a heartbeat: http://www.volkswagen-commercial-ve...transporter/kombi/trimlines/fahrgastraum.html *slurp*

External power is coming into the van from a plug on the side of the car with a special water-proof plug that goes to an IP22 plug. I'll post a picture.

I'm having (detachable) wi-fi and radio antennas mounted on the roof later this year to better serve dailies over wi-fi and so that I can hear what's going on on the set if I'm not close by.

One issue I'm still undetermined about is how to solve the heating and cooling issues. Winters are rather cold here (down to minus 20°C) and summers can get rather hot (up to plus 35°C) - and I work all over Europe, both south and north so I need to be prepared. So I will need to find some kind of solution for that in the near future. Well - there's lots of solutions, just not the ones I can afford right now ;-)

 

[Andrew clemson]

Thanks again Tony, Ill look into finding a way to get hold of the invertors here. Wonder if I can bring them back from the UK myself? Are they heavy?

In terms of the two marine batteries you mentioned, Im presuming theyre totally separate to your car battery? (Im not a car guy at all, as you may have guessed)

The Air conditioning is a huge deal for me as you may imagine Thats why im looking at passenger vans versus commercial as they usually have AC in the back already.
As US vans dont really have much resale value here, you can get hold of Old Chevy Astros or GMC "A-Team" Vans dirt cheap, about 10% of the cost of VW in some cases.

 

[Tony Lorentzen]

Thanks again Tony, Ill look into finding a way to get hold of the invertors here. Wonder if I can bring them back from the UK myself? Are they heavy?

Yeah - they are quite heavy. Mine's about 12 Kg so it's not exactly something to put in your carry-on ;-)

In terms of the two marine batteries you mentioned, Im presuming theyre totally separate to your car battery? (Im not a car guy at all, as you may have guessed)

Yes - they're two separate batteries completely. The box that is separating them and the normal battery is called the Septor. It makes sure that I don't draw power from that battery, but still being able to charge it when I have land power.

The Air conditioning is a huge deal for me as you may imagine Thats why im looking at passenger vans versus commercial as they usually have AC in the back already.
As US vans dont really have much resale value here, you can get hold of Old Chevy Astros or GMC "A-Team" Vans dirt cheap, about 10% of the cost of VW in some cases.

I can only imagine how warm it gets in Dubai in the summer - must be absolutely insane ;-) The only problem I see is the fact that you also need power to run the AC all day so maybe you'd need to have a bit more power than I currently have. I guess you'll have to figure out exactly how much power you're using and how long you need to be able to have power before having to turn on the van or fire up a genny ;-)

 

[Paul Kalbach]

I bought this paramedic truck to use as DIT/Camera/Grip Truck / Camper. I don't have the inside fixed up the way I want it yet, and it still needs some work after it broke down on the way back to Oakland from Chicago, but it has lots of potential. It has lots of DC outlets in addition to the AC outlets of the inverter system. Suction and air compressor as well. AC throughout for patient (director) comfort.

 

[Andrew clemson]

Wow, that thing is awesome. How much does something like that cost? Im guessing its got a lot of miles on it?

 

[Paul Kalbach]

Wow, that thing is awesome. How much does something like that cost? Im guessing its got a lot of miles on it?

I think they're around $100k when new,but i got mine on eBay for $6,400; around 260,000 miles on it. It's in great shape for that amount of milage. Fire departments generally keep their vehicles in top condition. They are always retiring them after so and so miles...

 

[Billy Summers]

...Thinking about the perfect DIT vehicle is making my brain hurt!
but I love seeing what y'all got going on!
I know Blair Paulsen has a pretty dialed vehicle (windstarr?)...

 

[Stacey Spears]

I know Blair Paulsen has a pretty dialed vehicle (windstarr?)...

Sprinter, I believe.

 

[Chad Lancaster]

Here is my studio on wheels..

 

[Andrew clemson]

Chad that thing looks perfect for what I need.

Is that the short wheel base wrangler or the long?

 

[Tony Lorentzen]

Just wanted to share this one as it was one of the things that inspired me to build my own van:

Chase Jarvis showing off the Digital Capture Systems van:

http://youtu.be/M-TzMbYSK5M?hd=1

 

[Christian Pfeil]

Here is my studio on wheels..

Yeah! 4 wheel power!
Post some inside shots.
Cheers.

 

[Jay A. Kelley]

Studio

Studio

Well,

We're going a different route.. I am a trailer person myself. I love being able to "tow" a studio on to location, and then unhook from it with a fully working auto. Here's what we're getting (Not this exact one, but the same model.

http://www.kcrv.com/hybrid-travel-trailer/2012/jayco-jay-feather-ultralite/173201

I won't be modding it a lot cause we'll use it for fun too! But it already comes with a pretty cool electrical setup, and the beds fold out when needed, but stay hidden when you don't! Not only that since trailer's do not have engines, up-keep and insurance are a LOT lower. That's a very good thing for me!

Jay